CC Minutes - 04/13/09 Meeting - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

Majeska Seese-Green , PO Box 1214, Ward 7, reported that the Whiteaker Community Council had held its annual meeting and elections. She related that 15 people had been elected to the board. She felt that the turnout had been good. She added that the new chair was Kari Johnson, and noted that she would no longer serve on the board. She supported the proposed skate park. She looked forward to having it near her home. She also urged the council to support the “Idaho stop” bill. Additionally, she had been pleased that the council had reinstated the acting Police Auditor, and that this had been done in an open session. Regarding the railroad pesticide spraying, she wanted to register her agreement with everything Ms. Chirillo stated. She wanted the City to ensure that the railroad had done everything it could to get notification in place prior to future spraying. She said the position of the neighborhood council was that the City should urge Union Pacific to utilize non-toxic modes of weed control. She stated that she would send the council an email regarding the rest of her testimony. Michael Quillin , 2735 Kismet Way, Ward 8, wished to express his support for the office of the Police Auditor. He was pleased that the council restored the acting Police Auditor to her position. He opined that it seemed the only City office that appeared to receive adequate oversight was the auditor’s office and he found this concerning. He believed that the council was quick to fault Ms. Reynolds for the breach of the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) she had signed with the Police Chief and that each delay of the institution of police oversight was a violation of the City charter. He expressed amazement that the council had “been quick” to place Ms. Reynolds on administrative leave when, he asserted, police officers accused of using “unlawful deadly force remain on active duty.” He added his support for construction of a world- class skate park in Eugene. Dawn Marlan , 920 Crest Drive, remarked that despite the fact that she lived on Crest Drive, she was “not rich.” She related that she and her husband lived on one academic salary with no way of increasing their income. She said when they bought their house they were informed that the most the street assessment could cost them would be $10,000 and that this would be unlikely. She stated that at presently the assessment was $20,000. She and her husband would not have bought their house had they known in advance how much they would be assessed, should the street project happen. She said they had other debts and two children who were their priorities over “shouldering a disproportionate amount of the burden for creating a perfect street in the middle of a recession.” Sue Kelly , 3260 Storey Boulevard, said she had lived in Eugene for 30 years and had rented all of her life. She stated that she was a letter carrier who had delivered mail on routes “all over Eugene and Springfield.” She loved Eugene; for her it was an organism that was growing. She thought it had outgrown its current form, including the way the street repairs were assessed. She did not think Eugene was a conglomerate of different neighborhoods; it was a city in which everyone should pay for its streets. She felt that the current street assessment methodology was divisive and painful. She also wanted to mention the skate park in order to add her voice to those in support. She averred that it would create an opportunity akin to a “jewel in our crown.” She opined that Eugene was the greatest city for the arts and outdoors and skating was an art that was outdoors. She also agreed with the bicyclists in support of the “Idaho stop” law. Moshe Immerman , 2595½ McLean Boulevard, hoped everyone was taking time to enjoy the wildflowers of spring. He thanked the council for reinstating the acting Police Auditor. He had engaged in lengthy meetings with her and felt that she was “among the most competent, pristine, high-integrity public officials” he had encountered in Oregon. He asserted that he was an “incident commander in the national park service of inter-agency federal law enforcement teams… protecting sacred sites of Native Americans, keeping paramilitary groups out of national parks.” He averred that her standard of integrity met his. He empha- sized his support for Ms. Reynolds and that he believed that she had a lapse and this was because she was human. He supported strong police oversight and asked that the council consider Ms. Reynolds as a leading MINUTES—Eugene City Council April 13, 2009 Page 8 Regular Meeting